In a development set to bolster Ukraine's defense, the US is poised today to greenlight an extra $150million package of essential munitions for Ukraine, as indicated by two US officials speaking off the record.
The cryptic Fighterbomber Telegram channel hinted at the downing of US equipment in the strategically pivotal Black Sea, though stopped short of offering concrete evidence.
Their message read: "Congratulations to everyone involved. There is now increased turbulence in the Black Sea. Let's see whether it's on an ongoing basis or whether it was a one-time event."
Mathias Gjesdal Hammer, a journalist with a focus on defense matters for the Semafor website, relayed on X some skepticism from a US defense official regarding the downed drone report, saying, "We have not seen any evidence of this to be factual."
Only yesterday, Russia escalated its diplomatic protest by calling in the US ambassador to voice outrage at what it alleges was a Ukrainian assault on Crimea using advanced US missiles on Sunday an attack said to cause four fatalities and injure over 150 individuals.
Crimea, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014 in a move largely deemed illegal by the global community, has consistently been identified by Ukraine's Western allies as a legitimate object for Ukrainian retaliation.
The Pentagon has recently confirmed that Ukraine's forces are now authorised to use US-supplied longer-range missiles to target locations within Russia if they are acting in self-defence.
Previously, the US had a strict policy against allowing Ukraine to use American-provided weaponry to strike Russian territory, fearing it could escalate the war.
To assist Ukrainian troops in countering increased Russian assaults, the US is set to continue its supply of munitions from existing inventories.
Included in the forthcoming consignment are expected to be munitions for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which can launch long-distance missiles from the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). However, such actions have been cautioned by Russia as potentially leading to retaliation and an escalation of hostilities.
A US official, who wished to remain unnamed, stated they couldn't confirm if ATACMS munitions were part of this aid package but clarified that cluster munitions were not included.
Addressing rumours circulating on Telegram about a US UAV being shot down by Russia, a US official said, "We have not seen any evidence of this to be factual," linking to a tweet for reference.
The officials provided these insights under the condition of anonymity since the information was not yet officially released.
Additionally, the support package is set to include anti-armour weapons, small arms, grenades, and the highly demanded 155 mm and 105 mm artillery rounds, among other forms of assistance.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned yesterday: "The involvement of the United States, the direct involvement, as a result of which Russian civilians are killed, cannot be without consequences. Time will tell what these will be."
